TexasBecky

Karey, glad you are on the mend. Keep taking extra good care of yourself and get those fluids in your system!

Cori, Cheers! Do you work nights or what? Why are you posting at 4 in the morning?

Frangi, glad to hear the drain removal hasn't resulted in any swelling. I hope it stays that way. How was the actual removal? Any pain with that? Foofy, I don't have a tape measure, so I have no idea what size my thighs are. I think it is a very individual thing anyway. So much depends on how long your legs are, how your body is proportioned, etc. I do have fairly long, slender legs because I'm tall and shaped just the opposite of Frangi. She on the other hand has nice, slender arms, and mine have always been big and not so nice. Now they aren't so big but I have lots of ugly loose skin.

Steph, just checking on you. I hope its been a good week with everything continuing to improve. Let us know how you're doing.

Thank you all for the birthday wishes. I did have a wonderful day and plan to continue celebrating through the entire weekend! Jody, you're a doll. I'm lucky to have found you on LBT. Love all the dancing bananas too. Cori, I'm so glad you figured them out. You seem to be enjoying them. I don't think I've seen the cutie you came up with. Hilarious! Frangi, Yeah on the drain!!! I've got fingers and toes crossed that you will do well without it. If I could have avoided all this swelling I would have kept mine in for a month or longer. I'm glad you got a little shopping in today. Nothing like a good workout trying on clothes! Salsa, apparently there is a whole new market for feminine pads. You are one of many ps patients who have posted about how handy they are during various stages of recovery. Maybe Kotex should revise their marketing campaign, LOL. Hope things get better soon.

Karey, did you notice that three people responded almost immediately after your post? We've all been worried about you and checking to see if you had any news. You're loved around LBT!

OMG Karey! What a horrible experience. I can't believe that all happened so suddenly. Thank God you got the emergency treatment that you needed. Your experience is also an important reminder for all of us. We should never ignore unusual band symptoms and when you can't get Water down you should be seen immediately. Please rest and take it slow and easy. Boy it has been a rough month for you. I hope you feel better real soon. On the bright side, you will no doubt drop the last of your weight in a hurry on a new bandster's diet.

One hour on the treadmill today. JULY EXERCISE CHALLENGE - 22 DAYS OF WALKING 12/22 COMPLETED

I'm just checking in to see how you all are doing. Looks like y'all mean business and are getting the results you're after. Great job to all of you. Keep it up. Karey, I'm anxious to hear about your upper GI. I'm kind of worried that you didn't post yesterday. Let us know how you're doing. Laura, I hope you like "Strong Women...." It is a great program for those of us who want to get and stay fit without having to go to the gym or use all those machines. I was looking for something basic, simple, and quick that I could commit to for the long haul. This fits the bill for me.

Morning All! I definitely encourange the posting of pictures. It is so nice to get all of the positive feedback! You ladies are so kind and generous with your praise. Salsa, I think my drivers license is wrong too! Today it says I turned 51. Yikes! Actually turning 50 is what changed my life. I was so bummed last spring to be coming up on 50 and looking and feeling like such a wreck. That's why I started investigating the lapband. This birthday feels SOOOOOOO much better. I do feel like a new woman - a good version of 51! Jody, no the swelling is not all gone. Damn it! I have about 15 minutes when I first get up in the morning where I don't have much if any swelling. Then little by little it starts. By bedtime my size 8's are miserably uncomfortable. The doc says this can go on for months. It is much better though. Remember, for at least the first two weeks after surgery my 10's were even too tight. I was really traumatized by that. Foofy, thanks for the tight face comment. I'm pleased with how my face has recovered, except for my neck. I'm not sure how much of that is from losing weight and how much is because I'm 51. Its probably a combination. Too bad I can't wear turtlenecks in Texas in July! Ok Cori, you have been pushing the rest of us for pictures so you've got to produce as well. Y'all have a great day!

Hi Frangi, I guess we were posting at the same time. We will settle for a picture of you in your low cut baby doll top. I could show my DH and he'd be ready for me to get the rest of my surgery, LOL. I'm glad you're getting a lot of mileage out of that shirt. Get some more when you're in Miami next week! KarenG, I was wearing a size 10 before my plastic surgery. When you look at pictures of my abdomen before ps it is hard to believe that I got all that skin in to a 10, but I did. I think the before and after ps shot looks like I lost at least 20 pounds of skin. It was really only seven.

Ok, here are pictures for those of you who haven't seen my before and after. The first one is me last year just a couple of weeks after lap band surgery and the after was taken today.

Thanks Frangi, Lady Bug, Lulu & Cori. Size 8 is clear evidence to me that I'm a normal size now. Size 8 is a medium. Me wearing a medium? Unbelievable! Lulu, we should try to meet up. That would be great fun. I'll PM you. Cori, I'm just going to Chicago for pleasure. It is a great city that I never get tired of. A few years ago my son moved there, so I've always got an excuse to go now. Well Cori, your hubby sounds like he has a legit excuse to be a little reluctant about you having PS. Darn that sweet man. Its easier to convince them if its just money.

Karey, so glad to hear about the unfill. I hope it makes the difference you need. I'm sure the upper GI will be normal and give you some peace of mind. I had a nerves issue before my PS and got too tight suddenly. I had to have a little unfill and an upper GI which revealed that everything was normal. I hope you get the same good news. Well how did your birthday turn out? Did the kids call? I've got one who always remembers and one who calls at the last minute (I think after his dad or brother calls to remind him). They're young and carefree and thinking of things besides mom. Even if they don't call it doesn't mean that don't adore us! Mcgreen, no big deal on the cookies. Even skinny people binge on cookies (or ice cream) every once in a while. Keep plugging away. You'll get there.

Well I didn't get in my exercise this morning, but when I logged on this evening and saw what a great job you all did today I got my butt on the treadmill for an hour. Thanks for the inspiration! JULY EXERCISE CHALLENGE - 22 DAYS OF WALKING 11/22 COMPLETED

Hi everyone, I've really got nothing new to share on the plastic surgery front, but I did have a nice little victory today, thanks to the plastic surgery. I'm getting ready for a short trip to Chicago next week and then ten days in Eastern Canada, so today I set out to buy new jeans. Frangi, your prediction of a size 8 was correct! Can I get some dancing bananas? I really can not recall wearing a size 8. I probably did decades ago, but I have no memory of that. Most of my jean shopping memories are bad. Down right traumatic. Those are the memories that stuck. Last May I went to Chicago and I bought new jeans before that trip too. They were a size 22.

Hi Karey, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I've got one coming up on Friday. We are both good cancer girls. Another reason I like you! I'm sorry things aren't going well right now. You probably are pushing yourself too hard. Who knows why our bands tighten up on us. Sometimes it is just crazy. Maybe working your abs so hard has had an impact or maybe the stress of this strict diet you are on has caused the problem. Whatever the case it does sound like your going to have to get a little unfill. I hope they will be able to see you today. As for being a star and excelling at something, HELLO! You have done an amazing job of losing weight and getting fit. You've taken control of your life and made so many positive changes. In my book you are a LBT super star! You have helped so many of us by sharing your experiences; the ups and downs. Like I've said before I appreciate that you were one of the ones who paved the way for me to get through my plastic surgery. Maybe you are feeling a little down now because of another birthday and the band troubles, but I'm here to say that you are an awesome lady with lots and lots of successes to be proud of. I hope you get some relief today and can enjoy your birthday. Becky

Congrats on the good news from your doctor. I'm so glad things are working out in your favor. I'm sure he will be very, very motivated to do his best work the second time around. Good luck on the return to exercise. You'll be pleasantly surprised how fast you get back to your pre op levels.

Yeah Jody! So glad you posted pictures. You are just as cute as I thought you would be! I hope you feel as great as you look, because you look wonderful. Keep up the good work. Becky

Mcgreen and Cori, you sure know how to make a middle aged former fatty feel good about herself. Thanks so much. Cori, do you think DH is trying to be sweet or is he just trying to save money? My hubby said he didn't care if I had PS, he loved me just the way I was. True, but he sure likes the results now, LOL! I suspect your hubby will love you a little bit "corrupted". Karey, I really am glad you're going ahead of me with the arms. You've been such a wonderful source of info. I like following in your footsteps. I assume you'll go ahead of me. When are you thinking of having another round? I don't think I'll be ready before December at least. I have another question for you. How is your numbness? I'm curious when it starts getting better.

Got in another hour of walking this morning. JULY EXERCISE CHALLENGE - 22 DAYS OF WALKING 10/22 COMPLETED

Thank you all so much for your nice comments on my photos. I am so glad I had the surgery, even with all the whining I've done, I am now 100% convinced that it was all absolutely worth the pain and expense. I saw my plastic surgeon today for my one month follow up. He was very pleased with the way I'm healing and assured me that everything is going to keep getting better and better. He says that some of the areas that are not completely smooth are because of internal stitches that still need to disolve. When they do the puckering that I'm concerned about will go away. I am up to one hour walks at about three miles per hour now and he said I could continue increasing my speed as tolerated. If anything causes discomfort I should stop, but otherwise I can keep building back until I return to my pre surgery activity level. I can also start lifting light weights. Frangi, I saw your great question to Dr. Schulman about scar treatment so I asked my doc today what he recommends. He agreed that Mederma is a waste of money. His thought is that massaging the scars is the best thing one can do. It is the compression thing. The pressure from the massage will diminish the appearance of the scars. I'm going to combine massage with Dr. S's ideas and hopefully get good results. I don't think it can hurt. Jody, I'm glad you're going to give the "Strong Women..." plan a try. It is so simple and takes very little time and I've gotten really good results. It is a plan that I know I can stick with. I hope you'll like it too. Karey, Are you really thinking of doing your butt and legs next? I was hoping you'd do your arms and tell me all about it before I have mine done, LOL. Really, I think you'll love the thigh and butt lift. When you've already had a tummy tuck do they lift the backside and meet up with the tummy tuck scars? Frangi, is that how yours will be?

Gee Salsa, I didn't realize that you and Frangi were in a drain removal competition. I think she'll beat us all on the reduced swelling thanks to keeping her drain in so long.

I got in a full hour on the treadmill this morning. Look out, I'm coming back strong! JULY EXERCISE CHALLENGE - 22 DAYS OF WALKING 9/22 COMPLETED

I am not familiar with your doc but you can look him up on the Texas Board of Medical Examiners to see if he has had any disciplinary action taken against him or malpractice claims. The link is Texas Medical Board Good luck on your upcoming surgery.